Repairman lightens Apple’s iPod shuffles inventory

Apple lost over 310 pounds of iPod shuffles to a guy in Michigan.

The Detroit News reported an independent iPod repairman is accused of obtaining over 9,000 replacement iPod shuffles by guessing valid serial numbers and entering them on Apple’s Web site.

Nicholas Woodhams from Kalamazoo, Mich., used his repair business, iPod Mechanic, to steal the iPods, according to court documents filed in federal court in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Employees were instructed to enter those numbers and have the shuffles shipped to various locations in Kalamazoo. The stolen shuffles were sold for $49 each.

Apple previously filed a lawsuit against Woodhams in June 2008, which is on hold while the criminal case is pending.

In June 2006, iPod Mechanic was reported by The Consumerist Web site for not repairing a reader’s broken iPod.

That’s a lot of iPod shuffles. o_O

[From The Detroit News]

Apple’s new iPod shuffle has gift of gab

Apple releases new 2009 iPod shuffle model, which is half as big as the previous model and twice the storage memory at 4GB. Photo from Apple.

Now people can hear the name of the artist as they listen to their music on Apple’s new iPod shuffle.

The company updated their iPod shuffle line by making it smaller than the previous generation, adding VoiceOver for navigation and increasing the memory to 4GB.

The shuffle’s VoiceOver feature allows the music player to vocalize song titles, artists and playlist names created from iTunes, a first for the iPod shuffle. It can also tell the user the status of the unit, such as battery life. VoiceOver is available in 14 languages.

Sporting an aluminum body with a stainless steel clip, the new iPod shuffle comes in silver or  black. Compared to the previous model, the new shuffle moves most of the navigation functions unto the headphone remote, which reduces the number of buttons on the unit itself. It can hold up to 1000 songs and costs $79.

The new iPod shuffle, now taking up less space in your pocket. Just don’t forget to take it out before washing those pants. ;-P